World Anti-Doping Agency appeals to Court of Arbitration for Sport after world No 1 Sinner cleared of wrongdoing after twice testing positive for banned substance; WADA seeking to impose a ban of up to two years on the 23-year-old Italian
Saturday 28 September 2024 11:00, UK
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has appealed against the decision to clear Jannik Sinner after he twice tested positive for a banned substance.
Sinner, twice a Grand Slam champion in 2024, tested positive in March for the anabolic steroid clostebol, before being cleared in August by an independent tribunal who determined he was not to blame.
But WADA has confirmed it is appealing that decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and is seeking a ban of between one and two years for the Italian, who is currently playing at the China Open in Beijing.
In a statement, WADA said: "It is WADA's view that the finding of "no fault or negligence" was not correct under the applicable rules.
"WADA is seeking a period of ineligibility of between one and two years. WADA is not seeking a disqualification of any results, save that which has already been imposed by the tribunal of first instance."
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) said on Saturday: "The process was run according to World Anti-Doping Code guidelines; however, the ITIA acknowledges and respects WADA's right to appeal the independent tribunal's decision."
In a case presented by the ITIA, a tribunal accepted Sinner's explanation that the banned substance entered his body as a result of a massage from his physiotherapist, who had used a spray containing the steroid to treat a cut on their finger.
Sinner subsequently fired physio Giacomo Naldi and his trainer Umberto Ferrara, who had supplied Naldi with the over-the-counter spray.
Though Sinner was required to forfeit his 400 ranking points from Indian Wells - and prize money of $325,000 - he was able to continue competing and went on to win the US Open in September, adding to the Australian Open title he won at the start of the year.
"Obviously it was very difficult for me to enjoy certain moments. Also how I behaved or how I walked on the court in certain tournaments before, it was not the same as I used to be," said Sinner after victory at Flushing Meadows.
"It was not easy, that's for sure, but in the other way I tried to stay focused, which I guess I've done a great job mentally staying there every point I play, and that's it.
Sinner has maintained his innocence, saying the amount of clostebol found in his system was less than a billionth of a gram.
A statement released on his behalf in August said he "knew nothing" of the violation.
"Jannik knew nothing of this, and his physiotherapist did not know that he was using a product containing clostebol," the statement read.
"The physiotherapist treated Jannik without gloves and coupled with various skin lesions on Jannik's body caused the inadvertent contamination."
But the decision to clear him came in for strong criticism in the run-up to the US Open, with some players citing perceived inconsistencies.
Nick Kyrios, Denis Shapovalov and Liam Broady all took to social media when the announcement was first made in August.
Kyrios called the decision 'ridiculous,' while both Shapovalov and Broady voiced opinions that other players would have received different outcome.
Roger Federer said he believed that Sinner had done nothing wrong, but was surprised he had been allowed to continue competing.
"I think we all trust pretty much that Jannik didn't do anything," Federer said on NBC's Today show in the second week of the US Open.
"But the inconsistency potentially that he didn't have to sit out while they weren't 100 per cent sure what was going on, I think that's the question here that needs to be answered.
"I understand the frustration of, 'Has he been treated the same as others?' And I think this is where it comes down to."
Sinner is top of the ATP Race to Turin for the season-ending finale, where in 2023 prize money for the eventual champion was $2.2m and $4.8m if they were undefeated.
